Archive for the ‘2nd Take’ Category

Possibly the most misunderstood horror flick, dismissed by mainstream critics as being cold and uninteresting is quite the opposite, this picture is retro throwback to the Universal and Hammer films of old. Visually beautiful in every shot, it can actually be framed it into a picturesque novel. A management firm sends a very unscrupulous analyst to a wellness spa in the Swiss alps to retrieve a CEO representative responsible for the mishandling of company funds. What he finds there are rich residents dyhydrating despite drinking tons water, a young waif seemingly out of place, staff behaving strangely, aquatic eels showing up where they shouldn’t and a doctor straight out of a mad scientist handbook. Planet fitness this isn’t.

SCARY FUN

Lake Mungo (2008)

A faux documentary of a young girl’s suicide and the haunting that may be affecting a family, but there are some twists that prove something more mudane and even that is questionable. Layered in puzzles, the film is a slow burn that has a scene at one pivotal point had the hairs on my head stand on end. Take note found footage fans, this is how you really do it right.

DOWNRIGHT DISTURBING

The leopard Man (1943)

Like fine wine, this vintage movie just gets better and better. A leopard escapes from a dance act and wreaks havoc on a small town. But certain evidence might say otherwise. Horror aficionados take note of all the tropes that to this day is still used.

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

A train to Busan (2016)

Tired of zombies yet?

Don’t give up yet, this gives new life from the walking dead boredom from that cable show. Estranged father and daughter are traveling on a non stop train filled with infected passengers at one end. Terrific Set up that honestly play no games with heartfelt moments and kinectic thrills.

SCARY FUN

Annihilation(2018)

It’s debatable, it leans more to Sci-fi than horror, but there are elements of Cronenbergian influence in parts coupled with a horrid mutated monster that chills just based on the concept of it. An expedition of military and scientific women take a journey into a isolated spot called the shimmer, an area that transform all organic matter into something else as it slowly expands outward across the land. A laid back film with a sense of maturity to the subject of what is life

CHILLER SUSPENSE

Incident at ghostland (2018)

I told you that Martyrs was disturbing as fuck, well the director is back to do it again, so expect a little misogyny and sadistic violence in the process. Brutal rampage is visited on a mother and two daughters that survives a horrific home attack. One of the daughters years later returns to the same house to assist her mother in taking care of a still traumatized sister. But is the emotional scars really dealt with or is there’s a sinister reality ready to emerge that may be even worse. A decent psychological thriller.

CHILLER SUSPENSE

The Green Room(2o15)

The first mistake of a punk rock band to do is play anti nazi songs for a racist skin head crowd, the second is to witness a murder, which could lead to not getting paid but also not getting another gig …….permanently. Patrick Stewart almost steals the scene as a grandfatherly nazi, what more could you ask.

SCARY FUN

Don’t Breath(2016)

Three young niave thieves break into one particular house too many. A grizzled blind war vet has a few surprises for them as well as a horrid secret kept in the basement. Villainous Stephen lang lookin’ buff and definitely taking no names, is kicking ass as a would be victim turn vicious predator.

CHILLER SUSPENSE

The Autopsy of Jane Doe(2016)

One of the few titles that lives up to its name. Witchery is afoot as a Father and son mortician duo tries tries to peel back (literally) the body of Jane doe, trying to find clues to who she is and the phantasmal events closing in around them. Straight up horror the way you like it.

SCARY FUN

Hereditary (2018)

Few horror films very rarely deal with grief and loss with any real convictions. Toni Collette pulls a Academy award performance as a mother dealing with the unraveling of a family as tragic circumstances leads her down to even darker roads. A slow burner with a nasty nihilistic streak through it.

There are at least three requirements I need when it comes to big budget Hollywood horror films, I call it the Poltergiest (1982) test, either scare, creep or thrill me. Some films very rarely do all if any. IT based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, falls somewhere between being interesting enough that I didn’t fidget to much in my seat and wasn’t bored, fact is for all the money spent on this, its very light on the scares or rather the ineffectivenes of it. What works are the performances from the young stars but the two that impressed me the most were ( Jeremy Ray Taylor ) as the bullied fat kid and (Sophia lillis) the lone female of this little band of outcasts, privately struggling with her own sexual maturity and the problems that comes with it. she is the shining star out of the group and probably the best jailbait ever on screen for teen boys since Ally Sheedy from Wargames.

The overall premise is meshed with a coming of age tropes mixed with childhood fears. A sewer dwelling entity called Pennywise ( played with obvious menace 101 by Bill Skarsgard ), using various visages of a circus clown and other nightmarish images to terrorize the youngsters of Derry Maine, consuming their life and fears for immortality every 27 years. Director (Andy Muschietti ) telegraph the spectoral situations with a pedestrian eye suited more for a Halloween parade in daylight. As sadly suspected loud clanging music and a generic jump scare style follow, making no lasting impression. The movie is listless, lacking a grounded urgency to give any gravitas to the events thát we the audience should be invested in. Despite all this the film still holds our interest when the kids are on screen dealing with earthly problems like social acceptability or personal difficulties. It is the Stand by Me moments that actually work best.

Unfortunately when the supernatural starts getting in gear, the film falters, missing some really needed complexities to flesh out the town’s history and a few minor character aside, but at least IT has a reasonable running time.

You’ve read the last blog so the ratings remain the same. so a quick reminder to categorized the tone of each film.

SCARY FUN

DOWNRIGHT DISTURBING

CHILLER SUSPENSE

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

now get those sickening sweets you collected from strangers and chow down and shiver with these chillers.

Horror Hotel 1961

Probably the last place you want to vacation at, what with the constant fog and murderous witches and all.

SCARY FUN

A tale of two sisters 2003

The tragic complexities between sisters and present family gives full range to ghostly events.

CHILLER SUSPENSE

Prince of darkness 1987

Lovecraftian in tone as evil entities lay out the red carpet in the form of possessed human bodies, a demon -god never had it so good under John Carpenter’s directorial style.

SCARY FUN

Island of lost souls 1932

There’s been other updated remakes of HG Wells mad science gone wrong, but this original got the frightening macabre tones just right. {see full review}

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

Horror of Dracula1958

Who knew someone could make a lively version of Stoker’s novel, Christopher lee makes the count to cool for school while Peter Cushing is a kick ass Van Helsing.

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

Homicidal 1961

Tarantino said this was better than Pyscho, ( spoiler alert?) a matter of opinion of course, still a fine William Castle romp in shlock horror.

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

Audition1999

Dating is hard enough and made even more so when lying that your a casting agent. Results of mutilations have a way of dampening a romantic evening.

DOWNRIGHT DISTURBING

The Wolfman1941

The great grand daddy of them all, this is where all werewolf tropes originated from, which half a century later is still used by movies and writers today, not bad for bullshit pulled out of the screenwriter’s ass . Make note that Lon Chaney jr’s performance as the doomed protagonist is very strong.

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

The Babadook2014

A distressed mother and her shrilly voiced young son is set upon by a frightful storyboard character come to life. Should have stuck with D.R. Suess. Possibly the most criminally underrated horror movie in recent memory.

SCARY FUN

Splinters2011

I’ll admit the camera work could have done less with the earth quake jerk about, but for the moments when we do get a look at the titled monster, its worth it. This is The Blob’s visisting cousin, a parasitical lifeform reanimates in a splintery mass and goes on a mindless rampage . fun for the whole family.

SCARY FUN

The Midnight Meat Train 2008

Serial killer give new meaning to the words “dining car” . Probably the most unbelievable part is that the train runs on time.

If you’ve read the last blog (and you should have) the ratings hasn’t changed and the selections are based on the familiar and the less familiar or rather not the usual fare other blogs constantly trot every year, so a quick reminder to categorized the tone of each film.

SCARY FUN

DOWNRIGHT DISTURBING

CHILLER SUSPENSE

OLD SCHOOL CLASSIC

So let’s get that popcorn a burning and the diet coke flowing and get into the chill factor.

The Children: 2008

Parenticide murders aplenty by tiny tots in this bad seed send off.

Chiller suspense

Dog soldiers: 2002

A lone military patrol squad try to evade being eaten by lycanthropized canines. Let the ass kickin’ begin.

Scary fun

Videodrome: 1983

Hard to describe, a kind of a philosophical ideology about media and television and its effect on a changing society. Whatever; it’s a gorefest with great FX, brought to you by body horror master himself David Cronenberg.

Old school classic

A Siberian film: 2010

Necrophilia, pedophilia, mix murder with sadism and a quick dose of nihilism and you have story about a former male porn star cursed with an insatiable bloodlust, screw the explanation of this film being some sort of political metaphor, this isn’t Salo on that level but it will test your tolerance.

Downright disturbing

The Cell: 2000

An arty version of the Nightmare Elm street kind, Jennifer ( on the block) Lopez, uses high tech science to peer into the mind of comatose serial killer Vincent D’ onofrio. Bizarre and gruesome images unlock clues to a missing victim in danger as time runs out. It looks better than it sounds.

Chiller suspense

Orphan: 2009

Unsuspecting parents seemingly adopts a prim and proper little girl….. that has a sweet tooth for murder, stay for the ending it’s a head-tripper.

Scary fun

Megan is missing: 2011

A precautionary tale done in found footage style about the dangers of online meetings and the tragic consequences of that result. Yeah you need a drink after this.

Downright disturbing

Unfriended: 2015

Exposes the destructive nature of teens in social media, only to have it come back to bite them in the proverbial ass. It is somewhat found footage but it works better in the media device in which you watch it, best to view this Skype like thriller on a PC than your television, it’ll for a few seconds give off an illusionary feel that your part of it.

Chiller suspense

The Haunting 1961:

Forget Jan Debont’s bullshit remake and take this atmospheric black and white version, about paranormal investigators doing what they do best, Investigate. Director Robert Wise gives an eerie and moody ambiance that creeps in the back of your mind.

If anything George Lucas’s space fantasy have taught us, is that the Star Wars saga is a work in constant motion, never quite completed to be one thing but rather morphing in many different ways, sometime dividing the communities in free fall battles in fan forums, youtube or Imdb commentaries.
The shoving match between the revisionists and the purists, the prequel lovers Vs the sequel romantics. Did Greedo really shoot first, did little Anakin Skywalker build C3PO and when did faith in the force turn into a trekkien science babble?
The idea of childhood dreams being assaulted because of some questionable interpretations always seem to me way over the proverbial top. Backlash of fans and critics have resulted in extreme opinionated articles and videos. Online examples as The Phantom Menace edit, whereas as a not very favorable character Jar Jar Binks is severely omitted, or Redletter Media’s hyperbolic (but hysterically amusing) deconstruction review of said prequels.
Is it reasonable to expect more than what was there, just a mercurial entertainment for the sake of a few escapist hours. Comedians like Pat Oswalt and other unflattering comments from various Hollywood sources, has held up the original trilogy as the holy trinity. But then if one were to research it carefully the divide between fans really began with Return of the Jedi and those cursed Ewoks. Since then, the irregularities and contradictions of all six films been either ignored, not noticed, accepted or dismissed .

“There a really a lot of haters. BUT this is what art is: you release it and let it be judged. Some people don’t like the originals films. This one everyone is going to like, though by force” Actor John Boyega , Star Wars: the force awakens.Timeout Magazine.

Well Mr Boyega that remains to be seen.

A colleague of mine once qouted from the film The Big Chill, ” Sometimes you have to letartflowoveryou. ..” perhaps that is why there isn’t common ground among fans, art is subjective, who cares if it doesn’t make sense, or maybe our criteria of entertainment is low, fuck do I know. In the meantime despite my misgivings, I do prefer certain certain chapters more than others, so in celebration of awakens, let me and my fellow writer Sean give a quick rundown on the negatives and positives of a
galaxy far far away……..

The Phantom Menace(What’s Lucas smokin?)
Midi- what?
Casting too many high powered actors with nothing for them to stand out (sorry Terrance Stamp).
The space station blowing up, undermines the original death star explosions as being trivial.

Attack of the clones.(What’s Lucas smokin’?)
The editing as a whole throws too many ideas without a cohesive direction to digest to what we are seeing.
No chemistry between All the actors, the romance being the worst.
Relied more on the cgi than usual.

(What went right )
Casting Christopher lee as Count Dooku
The fight between Jango Fett and Kenobi, something over due from Return of the Jedi.

Revenge of the Sith(What’s lucas smokin’)
Knocking off Mr lee much to soon.
forcing the plot such as it is, in disposing the Jedi knights in a ham fisted way just to get to the main characters, again the key word is trivilizing.
The editing of the film is choppy and pacing disorganized.

Star Wars(What’s lucas smokin’?)
Should have edited out the Biggs part during the original run, was fixed later in the revamped version but still unnecessary.

Greedo shooting first at close range, sorry Lucas you can’t turn Solo into John Wayne decades after the fact.

(what went right)

Screenplay with a Macguffin and character motivations, the best since The Wizard of Oz.

John Williams’s score.

Costumes and design.

The Empire strikes Back

(What’s Lucas, Kasden and Kershner smokin’?)

Not wearing pressure suits during the whale/asteroid scene, or rather the characters not questioning the gravity or air on a floating rock.

Ah Hell, who am I fooling, I luv the flick!

Return of the Jedi

(What’s lucas smokin’?)

Resolving the Luke and Leia relationship by making them siblings, creating a uncomfortable vibe affecting the first two films.

Ewoks; enuff said.

The Untapped potential of bounty hunter Fett/ The impressive imperial guards of the emperor, disappearing off the picture.

(what went right)

Speederbike chase through forrest.

Before the prequels and special editions, first appearance of Jabba the Hutt.

Again; Ian Macdiarmid.

SEAN

Phantom Menace

Cons

• The stakes are never really felt because no one seems to react like there are any, with the exception of Padme. She’s the only one who acts like she cares.

• If you erased the original trilogy and just had this film, you wouldn’t care for anybody or what is going on. Vice versa, you can erase this film and not lose anything in the original trilogy. Those films gave you a reason to care. Any investment you have in Phantom Menace is not earned by the film itself.

• For being wise, powerful peacekeepers, the Jedi have no qualms with putting a child’s life in danger by bringing him along when they go to fight.

Pros

• It expands the mythology of the universe and how some of the societies work with the introduction of the senate and the Jedi council, even if it doesn’t make the story interesting.

• The action is exciting and the light saber fights are very well choreographed.

• Darth Maul was a threatening villain, even though he had little dialogue and no background. He came off as more of a Sith terminator.

Attack of the Clones

Cons

• The dialogue is very poorly written (Ex. “Sand”), and the stilted acting makes it so much more apparent, especially since most of the actors are actually really good outside of this series.

• There is only one scene where Obi-Wan and Anakin act like friends—the elevator scene in the beginning, which kind of feels forced (refer to previous con)—and what little time they spend in each other’s company during the rest of the film is spent with Obi-Wan putting up with Anakin’s whiny bullshit. If they are such great friends, the film doesn’t do much to support it.

• How in the name of God does Padme fall for Anakin?! Everything he does screams unstable psychopath, and any sane person would’ve taken off running after listening to him rant about how he killed men, women, and children. With how Anakin’, it would’ve made more sense if Luke and Leia were the spawn of rape than forbidden love.

Pros

• The plot of the film is not as isolated at the first one and firmly plants the seeds for what’s to come in the original trilogy by delving into the Republic and the Separatists.

• The action is exciting and the light saber fights are very well choreographed.

• Palpatine’s plan, while convoluted, takes shape here and makes the Emperor all the more sinister because he was able to orchestrate the clones and the civil war from behind the scenes without drawing the attention of the Jedi and getting the Senate to actually back him up.

Revenge of the Sith

Cons

• The opening, while a thrilling action piece, is drawn out and serves only to have Anakin execute Count Dooku and build towards his turn to the dark side. This segment takes up a good twenty minutes or so, but the same goal could’ve been achieved with something more focused and less meandering (Ex. R2’s silly action scene), and more time could’ve been spared to developing other points in the story, like the ending or Anakin’s transformation, which leads to:

• Anakin’s turn, though built up over the past two films, still feels too quick and out of character. If he was the same whiny brat from Attack of the Clones, I would have bought it a little more, but in this film, his angst and psychotic tendencies are toned down quite a bit in favor of desperation for his love of Padme, which I still can’t buy into. It was as though his emotional arc was shown in reverse between Ep. 2 and 3.

• The ending is merely a rapid-fire checklist of things to set up the original trilogy and even contradicts future revelations (Leia remembers her mother, though she could also be referring to her mother on Alderaan). Padme dies, the twins are split up, Obi-Wan goes into hiding, and Darth Vader is born and watches the construction of the Death Star; we are shown “what” happens, but we aren’t really shown “why”. We aren’t really given a chance to digest the somber chain of events, and once again, much of the emotional connection relies on the viewer having already seen the original trilogy. It would’ve earned nothing if the prequels existed on their own.

Pros

• The opera scene. It is a beautifully shot moment, and while it’s meant to serve Anakin’s transition into the dark side, it works far better in adding a new facet to the Star Wars mythology with the introduction of Darth Plagueis and providing more insight into the soon-to-be Emperor. I wouldn’t mind if this bit of knowledge is brought up again in future Star Wars movies.

• The fall of the Jedi and is a grim, haunting moment. The montage of Order 66 is actually one of the most emotional scenes in the entire Star Wars saga as the light side of the Force get blindsided by Palpatine’s puppet-mastery, and Anakin’s march into the Jedi temple is cold, brutal, and extremely effective without showing the carnage, despite how alarming this shift in Anakin is.

• And to cap it all off, Palpatine uses the guise of safety to lure the Senate into siding with him and creating the Empire. It’s a moment that reflects everything going on in the world today, where the fear of terrorism has led to the people giving up certain freedoms in the name of security. As Padme so eloquently puts it, “So this is how liberty dies: with thunderous applause”.

A New Hope

Cons

• Leia seems a little nonplussed after watching her planet blow up.

• And the movie wants you to believe that Obi-Wan deserves more mourning than said planet.

• Wait, so Leia actually did know they were being tracked after they escaped from the Death Star, and they still went to the Rebel base?!

Pros

• Harrison Ford. Enough said.

• Despite the grave events that happen in the film (Luke’s aunt and uncle dying, Alderaan blowing up, Obi-Wan dying) the film maintains a rather consistent fun and light tone and never seems to dip in pacing.

• Though the effects are a little dated, they hold up much better after almost four decades than most CGI in films from the past five years. The practical look works in favor of making you believe in this sci-fi universe.

Empire Strikes Back

Cons

• The time duration of the film is murky at best. Luke’s training is happening at the same time as Millennium Falcon’s run-and-hide scenario, which means that Luke only trained for a few days, a week or two at best. Far too little time for Luke to make the progress he displays before he takes on Vader.

• C3PO’s bickering got a little annoying after a while.

• Parts with the Millennium Falcon running away dragged a little bit in terms of pacing.

Pros

• The Empire Strikes Back earns its title. The stakes are ramped up throughout the course of the film, leading to the powerful crescendo of Luke vs. Darth Vader.

• The story takes the characters into new and even dark places (Luke’s journey into the cave), and while most character arcs in any story have them overcoming their struggles and doubts by the end, here, the main characters don’t end up on top. They suffer for their flaws and desperation and barely make it out alive, showing them and the viewers that this is not just some light-hearted adventure anymore. Shit got real.

• Yoda is equal parts fun and wise and a better mentor than Obi-Wan not just because he was a superior Jedi but because he didn’t have to deliver that much exposition. He got to teach, to guide Luke way more than Obi-Wan ever did, since the latter had to serve as the exposition provider for Episode IV. Yoda does further elaborate on what the Force is, but it’s disguised so wonderfully as pure words of wisdom that you can attribute to real life obstacles.

Return of the Jedi

Cons

• Too much time is focused on how the Ewoks live with their savage cuddliness, and the subplot of C3PO being their deity felt like the movie was trying too hard to regain that light playfulness of Episode IV and became just childish.

• Han doesn’t really feel like Han anymore. I know he’s grown from the first movie, but the moment where he suddenly acts jealous of Luke on Endor just felt out of character.

• The ending was very short and seemed to undercut the enormity of defeating the Emperor and the Death Star by having such a limited perspective of the victory. The Special Edition, in one of the very few improvements, actually showed that what the Rebels did really affected the galaxy.

Pros

• The stories of Luke and Darth Vader reach a grand and heart-breaking finale.

• The final space dogfight outside of the Death Star is pretty awesome and intense.

• Despite knowing very little about the Emperor (prior to the release of the prequels), he comes off as quite threatening by doing very little. Perhaps it mostly because of how Vader interacts with him. Either way, the film sold that the Emperor was indeed the monster in charge.

Around this time of year just about every website ad nausea , roll out the their top ten or twenty horror films to join in the over crowded recommendation pile. So we at Thoughts on Cinema might as well join in. Below are eight carefully selected suggestions to binge all night long. To help in the order to watch them, there is a fear meter under : Scary fun-frights with a few laughs, Downright Disturbing- well done but uncomfortable subject matter, Chiller Suspense -moments of creepiness and mystery and old school classic - refined horror at its best.

If you don’t see the usual suspects like the Exorcist or the Shining, it was left off mainly because their already “go to” favorites everywhere else online, going to try some curve balls here and there. So get ready with your Netflix or illegally favorite torrent site, get that burnt popcorn going and see what nightmares are really made of.

Diabolique (1955)

Forget the remake with Sharon Stone, watch the french version instead. An abused wife and neglected mistress murders husband, only to find the body missing later and peculiar occurrences plaguing both women.{ Chiller Suspense}

Phantasm (1979)

Mausoleums, flying finger monsters, the tall man, spheres that drill into your head and killer dwarfs from another dimensions, What does it all mean, I haven’t a clue but this is the most original horror fantasy at that time and even now. { Scary fun}

Fiend without a face (1958)

The usual mishaps of science experiments gone way wrong.One of the few Sci-fi with a creepy feel to it. The appearances of the creatures once invisible is especially high on the eek meter.{old school classic}

Martyrs (2008)

Child abuse escalating into violent vengeance, which leads to something even worse. One of the few horror films that actually perturbed me. This is not for the squeamish.{ Downright Disturbing }

Carnival of Souls (1962)

Forget its low budget minimalist leanings, it actually works in its favor. Woman survives a drag racing accident that kills her friends, but the trauma has left her feeling disconnected to things and seeing strange figures that are not there. The atmosphere of unease permeates from scene to scene. { old school classic .}

The Descent (2005)

How dangerous could cave expedition be, our women explorers are about to find out, Oh yeah there is something down there alright. { Scary fun}

Noroi: The Curse(2005)

A found footage that actually has a story to it, this Japanese import deals with a paranormal documentarian investigating a case which in terms leads to his disappearance. The events are put together by the film evidence left behind. After awhile the unraveling tale creates a thick sense of dread to it. {Chiller Suspense }

From Beyond (1986)

Based 0n H.P. lovecraft ‘s short story. A machine called a Resonator is made to stimulate the human pineal gland, giving the person to perceive and enter another dimension where all sorts of big and small critters lurk. When the apparatus goes out of control…. well you can see for yourself. { Scary fun}

Subtle wouldn’t be Brian Depalma’s favorite word as he rummage through Hitchcock’s drawers for this mish-mosh update of Rear Window and Vertigo. Jake Scully (Craig Wasson) suffers from claustrophobia, fear of enclosed or crowded places. A bit actor working in a low budget vampire, looks for a place to crash, a chance meeting with another fellow actor Sam (Gregg Henry) offers him to house sit while away. Using a home telescope, he sets his peepers on negligee wearing female dancing provocatively in a neighboring window, cue the the Pino Donaggio erotic score just in case if you weren’t ĺawake. Voyeurism soon turns into pantomime drama via an open window, uncovering domestic abuse, menacing stalkers and finally her murder. Guilt ridden over the tragic event, he later stumbles across a porn commercial showing a video of actress Holly Body (an air- headed Melanie Griffith channeling Judy Holiday) using the same exact dance movements. Convinced the crime was a set up and the woman involved, Jake enters ( double entendres are abound in writing this.) the adult entertainment as a performer, engaging in record time a role opposite the woman in question and a cameo in a Frankie goes to Hollywood Video. This is simple abc’s for this type of genre, but the camp moments are way over the top. It loses cohesiveness because its laughing at its own indulgence. Conventional cliches are being send up for sure but if the director couldn’t take it seriously why should we. However there is a thrilling scene with a street drill, realigning the balance of dark humor and violence. Unfortunately its the one decent aspect. The most awkward sequence that mars the film further is the climatic ending; interrupted by a flashback that disrupts the narrative. Uninspired; the movie plods along to a flat ending, on screen The whole thing feels lazy, maybe midway through the picture Depalma said fuck it……literally.

Halloween comes twice a year in New York, so if you wander upon a horde fantastical creatures and maidens, strolling down the avenue, take notice that comic con has arrived. A four day event filled with memorabilia vendors, nerd dating services, video movie hawkers and cos play shows. There is so much shit to keep every nerd fetishes entertain for days, and unless your focused on a particular subject, the entire experience can be overwhelming, even frustrating as you try to navigate between shows and seminars. Best to download the comic con app and plan accordingly before you go.

Some snippets of NYCC

Animal planet: Finding Bigfoot

A reality show that really has nothing to do with reality, but certainly has a hard core following, at least with audience I was with. The panel talked a bit with the fans after the presentation. Ranae Holland with a manly handshake is the resident skeptic, although she seems to be pseudo critical, as if it’s just a performance act for the masses. On the other hand Cliff Barack man seem generally enthusiastic about the subject even has a calling card he gave out. I asked about about the onslaught of bigfoot videos on Youtube, and if it hampers any serious research about it, Barack hasn’t an issue with it, the plus side that it keeps the subject going in the public eye.

Breaking into Comics right now:

For those that dream about it, the title alone said it all. Some quick notes, research company, eight page write up with drawings. Avatar comic might be something to look into. Web comics are another option. All in all, just hook up with some like minded individual, pull talents together. One novice artist was looking for a writing partner and more than a few (including myself) volunteered. who said networking doesn’t work.

NYCC Thursday night kick off:

Everyone was on their game except Janeane Garofalo, she seems to wander in without an act.

Meanwhile at the fortress of Solitude……….

Star wars rebels: the might of the empire:

Full house on this panel, but what did you expect when it comes to this particular series, a quick design glimpse for ravenous fans.

CBLDF: The Secret origins of Comic Censorship!

A little history taught by scholar Carol Tilley…….

True blood with Kristin Bakers and Lauren Bowles:

Still wonder why the show was on this long, although the actresses were engaging.

Your opinion sucks! Rotten Tomatoes Critics Vs Fan:

Possibly the biggest disappointment, less of a in depth discussion about the value on film criticisms and its relevance today. Instead the panel dialed it down to what sucks or didn’t suck. Did speak with Owen Gleibman of Entertainment Weekly about the saturation of Internet critics on line, he felt it wasn’t a problem to his position, and counted himself lucky to make a successful career of it.

Director Sam Mendes is up at bat in this 23nd go round with Britain’s greatest spy James Bond. This time the theme of betrayal and abandonment permeates in the background. Mendes have visited the subject before in Road to Perdition. In that movie a mob father’s doubtful faith in his son makes a crucial decision with disastrous results, (interestingly enough starring Danial Craig). In Skyfall the Bureau chief M ( a take no prisoner Judi Dench) also makes a sacrificial call that nearly cost Bond his life. Rethinking his priorities about the unit and especially M herself, James takes a long sabbatical away from the agency.
He’s forced back in operation when a hard-drive disk containing information of secret operatives under cover is stolen, threatening a shut down of the organization and M’s forced retirement. Coming back into the spy game has James a bit rusty in his usual physical skills as well as failing psychological sessions especially childhood memories of something called Skyfall, leaving doubts from intelligence and security head, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) , but confidence from M about the ability to handle said mission. The person responsible is Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem) , a rogue agent ( Shades of Goldeneye! ). Decked out in blond hair and suited white tux and a bit of effeminate style, probably the most interesting Bond villain in quite awhile. No global megalomaniac like Goldfinger Or Blofield, no; this is somebody hurt physically and emotionally. The screenplay pulls a sense of homo-eroticism between Bond and Silva, where he massages the captured agent’s injuries in a gentle manner, Challenging perceptions of Bond’s masculine sexuality, subtlety planting the possibility he would fuck for Queen and country regardless of gender.

Throughout the film, questionable decisions by M both past and present propels the plot of the story, in some way these events are more about M than Bond, but Mendes made sure he gives a heaping shitload of baggage for just about everybody involved.

Craig continues to impress as Bond, a steely visage coupled with a not so pretty face, more of a street thug than GQ Pierce Brosnan was. No humor retorts for this spy, it recalls the attempt of Timothy Dalton’s take on a serious 007 decades ago.

The cinema photography by Roger Deakins is possibly the most gorgeous looking yet in the whole franchise. In one sequence Bond fights an adversary, silhouetted behind glass walls with neon lights in the background, the glowing shadows creates visual beauty to the choreography. Another is the lair of the villain, not a opulent palace of wonder, but some island or scow adrift in the sea, Its decayed and muddling look is a nice contrast to the usual hideouts.

There’s enough eye- winking references to earlier films of Bond, especially to the Sean Connery era, if anything in a retroactive or quasi alternative universe, this film actually is actually the first official start of the series…and that is fine by me.

“Vampirella; a Playboy magazine!” said sarcastically by one of the older kids on the block, as I tried shielding the cover from judgmental g eyes. There were other published anthologies such as “Creepy” and “Eerie”, both had a fair share of nudity and violence, mashed with horror genre, but the Vampirella issues at least in the early ones seem to have a more emphasis on women be it as victims or perpetrators in the stories.

With cover like that how could I resist

She was the brain child of the great Forry Ackerman, creator of the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland. The basic origin was that Vampi was the sole survivor of a planet of vampires, where rivers once flowing with blood was slowly drying up. She escapes on a manned rocket-ship back to earth where she befriends a drunken washed up magician named Pendragon. Taking a serum that curves her blood-lust and pursued and later befriended by a new generation of Van Helsings, each story would deal with her battles with a cult called Chaos and other dark forces.

The legendary Archie Goodwin would take on the writing chores later and perfected the twist ending to her twelve page adventures. Arguably these were the quintessential version, short as they were, it had a breezy quickness that hit the points it wanted to make. No heavy handed plot to detract its concise narrative. Of course the stories wouldn’t have half the impact if not for Jose “Pepe” Gonzalez great artistic rendition of the the title character. Coming in at issue # 12, the makeover created a stunning siren, seductive, sexually chaste without the nymph prancing nature of her more active half sister of the sci-fi film Barbarella, of which Forry semi-christened our gal her name.

In the years to come, Vampi would be reinterpreted by other publications, whether manga styled or superhero horror, concepts that will continually evolve for every generations.

Before Ripley, Xena, or Buffy, she was the first female ass kicker of fantasy horror genre.

By the way ignore the Roger Corman film Vampirella, the campy approach and low (low) budget is an injustice to the idea of the original, in other words it sucks.

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Thoughts on Cinema is dedicated to film reviews. An uncompromising opinion on the intellectual, artistic, and entertainment value to the consumer. With rising ticket prices, we dedicate ourselves to present to you content regarding what you should or should not be viewing.
-Ronald H. Pollock Founder and Editor in Chief